Corrosion to a handrail installed at the St Clair Esplanade
in 2004 that has caused the Dunedin City Council to spend
more than $170,000 on repairs. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
The St Clair Esplanade is undergoing $177,736 of repair
work just seven years after its upgrade.
It is the second major repair since the esplanade was given
its new look in 2004.
The handrail and fence beside the beach is being repaired
after serious corrosion of the steel and wood design, with
the Dunedin City Council's design requirements for the
facility found wanting.
Council project engineer Evan Matheson said yesterday design
problems meant water was able to enter pipes in the fence but
not exit.
Water was also getting between the wood handrails and metal
base plate, with both staying wet and corroding.
In defence of the facility, Mr Matheson said anything built
in the hostile environment of the beach would struggle to
last long.
The contract to "refurbish" the handrail was being completed
by Dunedin company Zeal Steel.
Last financial year, the council had a 200m section from the
St Clair Salt Water Pool repaired under a different contract,
and the latest contract would complete the work to the end of
the facility, past the South Coast Board Riders clubrooms.
Mr Matheson said the company was removing the fence in
panels, sand-blasting and repairing what it could, and then
putting the panels back in place.
It was possible to salvage half to three-quarters of the
wooden part of the handrail.
The Esplanade was "a very hostile environment", and any
structure would have a limited life.
"But we would have hoped for two or three more years. That's
not the case, so we just have to do what's right."
The work started about three weeks ago, and was expected to
be finished by the end of July.
The designers of the $6 million sea wall came under fire late
in 2004, following storm damage to an access ramp.
Bolts at either end of a section of the ramp designed for
disabled access broke after rocks became wedged underneath
and lifted the panel.
Design consultant Duffill Watts and King and construction
company Naylor Love agreed to strengthen and repair the ramp
and staircase following the event at no cost to the council.
That work was completed in 2006.
- david.loughrey@odt.co.nz
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